Psychosexual Education Interventions for Autistic Youth and Adults-A Systematic Review

(1) Background: The literature shows a general lack of sexual knowledge and appropriate sexual health education in persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Moreover, the existing interventions mainly target the neurotypical population, without addressing the specific needs of individuals with ASD. (2) Aims: The current systematic review aimed at analyzing the literature encompassing psycho-educational interventions on sexuality addressed exclusively to people with ASD, in order to report the good practices and to describe the effectiveness of the existing programs. (3) Methods: The systematic review followed the PRISMA-P method. The literature search was conducted in June 2022, examining PsycInfo, PsycArticle, PubMed, and Education Source. The search strategy generated 550 articles, of which 22 duplicates were removed, 510 papers were excluded for not matching the criteria, and 18 articles were finally included. (4) Results: Ten papers presented good practices and eight focused on intervention validation. The analysis showed that the good practices were essentially applied in the intervention studies. No intervention proved to be successful both in increasing psychosexual knowledge and in promoting appropriate sexual behaviors; thus, further research is needed. (5) Conclusions: The current review allows for critical reflection on the need for validated sexuality interventions

Home-based interventions targeting vegetable intake and liking among preschoolers: A systematic review

Consumption of vegetables is low among preschoolers and does not meet WHO recommendations. We conducted a systematic review of home-based interventions aimed at increasing vegetable consumption and liking among preschoolers. The main aim was to synthesize existing studies and to identify relevant features of successful interventions, especially looking at those with long-lasting effects. A comprehensive search strategy was performed using Psychinfo, PsychArticles, Psyndex, Medline and ERIC databases. Articles published until February 2020, regarding evaluation of vegetable intake and/ or liking following an intervention, were included. Fourteen articles were selected, encompassing seven intervention strategies: familiarization with vegetable, tasting of the vegetable, intake of the vegetable, reward, information to parents about healthy eating, how-to-do tips to parents to improve healthy eating, intervention tailored to the characteristics of the family. Successful interventions on vegetable intake did not present systematic similarities in terms of type of intervention, but were characterized by an intense intervention (high frequency/length ratio). Successful interventions on vegetable liking mainly included a small reward. Interestingly, the few studies including a long-term follow-up found persistent positive effects. Despite interesting and promising outcomes, the present review highlighted a number of methodological issues that limited the generalisability of findings. Such limitations are discussed, together with outlets for future directions concerning this research topic

Utilizzo degli e-book per familiarizzare i bambini alle verdure.

Introduzione. Il primo approccio dei bambini al cibo solido, e in particolare alle verdure, non è sempre semplice per i genitori L’effetto di diverse strategie di familiarizzazione è stato studiato da numerose ricerche, che hanno messo in luce una varietà di metodi: ripetizione per più giorni della proposta di verdura non gradita; utilizzo di ricompense materiali – come ad esempio una figurina con i personaggi preferiti – e non-materiali, come la lode e l’incoraggiamento; informazioni ai genitori sull’alimentazione sana, etc. Un metodo recentemente proposto in Inghilterra e che ha dimostrato una buona efficacia nel familiarizzare i bambini a una verdura nuova o non gradita, è quello della lettura condivisa fra bambini e genitori di un libro illustrato che presenti la verdura in questione, dalla coltivazione nel campo al piatto cucinato. La nostra ricerca, condotta all’interno del progetto See&Eat finanziato dalla Comunità Europea si propone di verificare l’efficacia della lettura di e-book sull’approccio alla verdura, quindi l’efficacia di una esposizione ripetuta in forma virtuale nell’aumentare la disponibilità ad assaggiare, il consumo e il gradimento di una nuova verdura. Metodo. La ricerca ha coinvolto 61 famiglie con bambini di età compresa fra 18 mesi e 4 anni: a ognuna è stato chiesto di indicare due verdure non gradite al bambino (su un elenco di 24), ed è stato chiesto di leggere per 15 giorni un e-book su una delle due verdure, scelta in modo casuale. Prima e dopo il periodo di lettura, i genitori hanno compilato un questionario che valutava la disponibilità ad assaggiare, il consumo e il gradimento di entrambe le verdure: la verdura target (quella oggetto dell’e-book), e quella non-target, altrettanto sgradita ma non oggetto di intervento. Risultati. I questionari hanno mostrato un incremento significativo su tutte e tre le voci al post-test, sia per la verdura target che per quella non-target. Discussione. Anche se non abbiamo trovato differenze significative fra le due condizioni, possiamo interpretare l’effetto di generalizzazione sul gradimento e sul consumo delle verdure come un risultato importante, dovuto alla maggiore attenzione comunque prestata nell’ambiente familiare alla verdura, risultato che del resto trova conferma in altre ricerche analoghe ed è stato confermato dai commenti espressi da alcuni dei genitori partecipanti in un focus-group di verifica dell’iniziativa

A Deep Learning Method for AGILE-GRID Gamma-Ray Burst Detection

The follow-up of external science alerts received from gamma-ray burst (GRB) and gravitational wave detectors is one of the AGILE Team's current major activities. The AGILE team developed an automated real-time analysis pipeline to analyze AGILE Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) data to detect possible counterparts in the energy range 0.1-10 GeV. This work presents a new approach for detecting GRBs using a convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify the AGILE-GRID intensity maps by improving the GRB detection capability over the Li & Ma method, currently used by the AGILE team. The CNN is trained with large simulated data sets of intensity maps. The AGILE complex observing pattern due to the so-called "spinning mode" is studied to prepare data sets to test and evaluate the CNN. A GRB emission model is defined from the second Fermi-LAT GRB catalog and convoluted with the AGILE observing pattern. Different p-value distributions are calculated, evaluating, using the CNN, millions of background-only maps simulated by varying the background level. The CNN is then used on real data to analyze the AGILE-GRID data archive, searching for GRB detections using the trigger time and position taken from the Swift-BAT, Fermi-GBM, and Fermi-LAT GRB catalogs. From these catalogs, the CNN detects 21 GRBs with a significance of >= 3 sigma, while the Li & Ma method detects only two GRBs. The results shown in this work demonstrate that the CNN is more effective in detecting GRBs than the Li & Ma method in this context and can be implemented into the AGILE-GRID real-time analysis pipeline

The Agile Alert System For Gamma-Ray Transients

In recent years, a new generation of space missions offered great opportunities of discovery in high-energy astrophysics. In this article we focus on the scientific operations of the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) onboard the AGILE space mission. The AGILE-GRID, sensitive in the energy range of 30 MeV-30 GeV, has detected many gamma-ray transients of galactic and extragalactic origins. This work presents the AGILE innovative approach to fast gamma-ray transient detection, which is a challenging task and a crucial part of the AGILE scientific program. The goals are to describe: (1) the AGILE Gamma-Ray Alert System, (2) a new algorithm for blind search identification of transients within a short processing time, (3) the AGILE procedure for gamma-ray transient alert management, and (4) the likelihood of ratio tests that are necessary to evaluate the post-trial statistical significance of the results. Special algorithms and an optimized sequence of tasks are necessary to reach our goal. Data are automatically analyzed at every orbital downlink by an alert pipeline operating on different timescales. As proper flux thresholds are exceeded, alerts are automatically generated and sent as SMS messages to cellular telephones, e-mails, and push notifications of an application for smartphones and tablets. These alerts are crosschecked with the results of two pipelines, and a manual analysis is performed. Being a small scientific-class mission, AGILE is characterized by optimization of both scientific analysis and ground-segment resources. The system is capable of generating alerts within two to three hours of a data downlink, an unprecedented reaction time in gamma-ray astrophysics.Comment: 34 pages, 9 figures, 5 table

AGILE detection of a strong gamma-ray flare from the blazar 3C 454.3

We report the first blazar detection by the AGILE satellite. AGILE detected 3C 454.3 during a period of strongly enhanced optical emission in July 2007. AGILE observed the source with a dedicated repointing during the period 2007 July 24-30 with its two co-aligned imagers, the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector and the hard X-ray imager Super-AGILE sensitive in the 30 MeV-50 GeV and 18-60 keV, respectively. Over the entire period, AGILE detected gamma-ray emission from 3C 454.3 at a significance level of 13.8-$\sigma$ with an average flux (E$>$100 MeV) of $(280 \pm 40) \times 10^{-8}$ photons cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$. The gamma-ray flux appears to be variable towards the end of the observation. No emission was detected by Super-AGILE in the energy range 20-60 keV, with a 3-$\sigma$ upper limit of $2.3 \times 10^{-3}$ photons cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$. The gamma-ray flux level of 3C 454.3 detected by AGILE is the highest ever detected for this quasar and among the most intense gamma-ray fluxes ever detected from Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars.Comment: Accepted by Astrophysical Journal Letters; 14 pages, 3 EPS Figures, 1 Tabl

The AGILE real-time analysis pipelines in the multi-messenger era

In the multi-messenger era, space and ground-based observatories usually develop real-time analysis (RTA) pipelines to rapidly detect transient events and promptly share information with the scientific community to enable follow-up observations. These pipelines can also react to science alerts shared by other observatories through networks such as the Gamma-Ray Coordinates Network (GCN) and the Astronomer's Telegram (ATels). AGILE is a space mission launched in 2007 to study X-ray and gamma-ray phenomena. This contribution presents the technologies used to develop two types of AGILE pipelines using the RTApipe framework and an overview of the main scientific results. The first type performs automated analyses on new AGILE data to detect transient events and automatically sends AGILE notices to the GCN network. Since May 2019, this pipeline has sent more than 50 automated notices with a few minutes delay since data arrival. The second type of pipeline reacts to multi-messenger external alerts (neutrinos, gravitational waves, GRBs, and other transients) received through the GCN network and performs hundreds of analyses searching for counterparts in all AGILE instruments' data. The AGILE Team uses these pipelines to perform fast follow-up of science alerts reported by other facilities, which resulted in the publishing of several ATels and GCN circulars.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of the 37th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2021), Berlin, German